Autistic adults have unreliable neural responses

The top panel shows a map of the brain responses to the visual stimulation; they are similar across autism and control groups. 

The bottom left panel shows visual system responses of two individuals – one with autism and one control.

The average responses - across trials - are similar in terms of amplitude and shape, yet the trial-by-trial variability is much larger in the individual with autism (error bars are much larger). 

The bottom right panel shows that this is not a consequence of different head motion between the two individuals as both moved their head to a similar degree. 

Credit: Carnegie Mellon University 

Autism is a disorder well known for its complex changes in behavior—including repeating actions over and over and having difficulty with social interactions and language.

Current approaches to understanding what causes these atypical behaviours focus primarily on specific brain regions associated with these specific behaviours without necessarily linking back to fundamental properties of the brain's signaling abilities.

New research led by Carnegie Mellon University neuro-scientists takes the first step toward deciphering the connection between general brain function and the emergent behavioral patterns in autism.

Published in the journal Neuron, the study shows that autistic adults have unreliable neural sensory responses to visual, auditory and somatosensory, or touch, stimuli.

This poor response reliability appears to be a fundamental neural characteristic of autism. "Within the autism research community, most researchers are looking for the location in the brain where autism happens," said Ilan Dinstein, a postdoctoral researcher in Carnegie Mellon's Department of Psychology and lead author of the study.

"We're taking a different approach and thinking about how a general characteristic of the brain could be different in autism—and how that might lead to behavioural changes."

For the study, 14 adults with autism and 14 without—all between the ages of 19 and 39—completed sensory experiments while inside a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine located at CMU's Scientific Imaging and Brain Research center.

To test the visual system's neural response, participants were shown a pattern of moving dots. The auditory stimulation consisted of pure tones presented to both ears, and short air puffs were used to stimulate the somatosensory senses.

The fMRI measured each individual's brain activity during the experiments. In all of the primary cortices, visual, auditory and somatosensory, the within-individual response reliability was significantly lower—by 30-40 percent—in autism; meaning, there was not a typical, predictable response from trial to trial.

Thus, in the individuals with autism, there was significant intra-individual variability, with responses varying from strong to weak.

Non-autistic adults had replicable and consistent responses from trial to trial. "This suggests that there is something very fundamental that is altered in the cortical responses in individual's with autism," said Marlene Behrmann, professor of psychology at CMU and a leading expert on using brain imaging to understand autism.

"It also begins to build a bridge between the kind of genetic changes that might have given rise to autism in the first place—and the kind of changes in the brain that are responsible for autistic behavioral patterns.

More information: Dinstein et al.: "Unreliable evoked responses in autism." DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2012.07.026

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Autism: Mirror Neurons and Self-understanding

Recent findings are rapidly expanding researchers' understanding of a new class of brain cells, mirror neurons, which are active both when people perform an action and when they watch it being performed.

Some scientists speculate that a mirror system in people's 'perception' forms the basis for social behaviour, for our ability to imitate, acquire language, and show empathy and understanding.

It also may have played a role in the evolution of speech. Mirror neurons were so named because they fire, both when an animal acts and when it simply watches the same action. They were thought to "mirror" movement, as though the observer itself were acting.

Advances in the past few years have newly defined different types of mirror neurons in monkeys and shown how finely tuned these subsets of mirror neurons can be.

New studies also have further characterized both normal and abnormal, mirror activity in the brains of children with Autism, a social communication disorder, suggesting new approaches to treatment.

"The tremendous excitement that has been generated in the field by the study of mirror neurons stems from the implications of the findings, which have led to numerous new hypotheses about behavior, human evolution, and neuro-developmental disorders," says Mahlon DeLong, MD, of Emory University School of Medicine.

Mirror neurons, a class of nerve cells in areas of the brain relaying signals for planning movement and carrying it out, were discovered 11 years ago, an offshoot of studies examining hand and mouth movements in monkeys.

Mirror neuron research in the intervening years has expanded into a diverse array of fields and the implications have been enormous, encompassing; evolutionary development, theories of self and mind, and treatments for schizophrenia and stroke.

Findings include new research based on work in monkeys, showing that subsets of mirror neurons distinguish between observed actions carried out within hand's reach and those beyond the animal's personal space.

Read more of this article here: Mirror, Mirror In The Brain: Mirror Neurons, Self-understanding And Autism Research

Autism: Brainwaves 'show risk from age of six months'

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than previously thought, according to an international team of researchers.

A study published in Current Biology identified differences in infants' brainwaves from as early as six months.

Behavioural symptoms of autism typically develop between a child's first and second birthdays.

Autism charities said identifying the disorder at an earlier stage could help with treatment.

It is thought that one in every 100 children has an autism spectrum disorder in the UK. It affects more boys than girls. While there is no "cure", education and behavioural programmes can help.

One of the researchers, Prof Mark Johnson from Birkbeck College, University of London, told the BBC: "The prevailing view is that if we are able to intervene before the onset of full symptoms, such as a training programme, at least in some cases we can maybe alleviate full symptoms."

His team looked for the earliest signs of autism in 104 children aged between six and 10 months. Half were known to be at risk of the disorder because they had on older sibling who had been diagnosed with autism. The rest were low risk.

Older children with autism can show a lack of eye contact, so the babies were shown pictures of people's faces that switched between looking at or away from the baby.

Sensors attached to the scalp looked for differences in brain activity.

In low-risk babies, or high-risk babies that did not develop autism, there was a large difference in the brainwaves when looking at each type of image.

There was a much smaller difference in the brainwaves of babies who developed autism.

'Very effective'

Prof Johnson said: "It is important to note it is not a 100% predictor. We had babies who flagged up warning signs who did not develop autism."

There were also babies who did develop autism who had low-risk brainwaves. The test would need to be more accurate before it was used routinely.

Prof Tony Charman, Centre for Research in Autism and Education at the Institute of Education, said: "Differences in the use of eye gaze to regulate social interaction are already a well-recognised early feature in many children with autism from the second year of life.

"Future studies will be required to determine whether measurements of brain function such as those used in our study might one day play a role in helping to identify children at an even earlier age."

Christine Swabey from the charity Autistica said: "The hope is that this important research will lead to improved identification and access to services for future generations.

"Ultimately, the earlier we can identify autism and provide early intervention, the better the outcomes will be."

Dr Georgina Gomez-de-la-Cuesta from the National Autistic Society said: "Further research to investigate these differences will eventually lead to earlier recognition of the condition.

"Early intervention is very effective in supporting those with autism, so recognition in infancy can only be beneficial in helping individuals with autism reach their full potential.

"However, this important research is still in its early stages, and larger studies looking at several early markers of autism will be necessary before a robust clinical diagnosis could be possible at such a young age."

Scottish Police Introduce Alert Card for Autistic Adults

A new card to help emergency services deal with people with autism has been launched.

The Autism Alert card will be carried by adults with the condition in Lothian and Borders and can be shown to the emergency services.

It will include details of a personal contact and expert contact who can tell police and other services how best to deal with the autistic person.

People with autism can have severe communication and social problems and dealing with the police can be hard for them.

Jennifer Bruce from Kirkliston in Edinburgh said the card was "vital" after her own experience with the police.

The 25-year-old said: "It is so important that police and emergency services know that a person has autism.

"I was at a friend's house when police were called, following a complaint from neighbours. I was not directly involved, but still found the situation frightening. The police, in their black and yellow uniforms looked intimidating to me.

"My Asperger syndrome means I can find reading non-verbal communication such as body language a real challenge. The police didn't know I had autism so didn't explain to me what was going on in a way I could understand. If I could have produced an Autism Alert card, I believe it would have helped make the situation less stressful."

The card has already been launched in Strathclyde and the Highlands and will be rolled out across the country.

Dr Robert Moffat, national director of NAS Scotland said: "NAS Scotland is delighted to be in a partnership that addresses the unique challenges faced by people with autism in such a sensible, straightforward and effective way.

The new Autism Alert card is a crucial step in ensuring Lothian and Borders Police are autism aware, and helps people with autism in the local area access the same rights most of us take for granted."

Steve Allen, deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police said: "We welcome the introduction of the new Autism Alert card which will allow our officers to quickly identify a card-holder's condition, improve understanding of their needs and offer them the best possible support.

"Supporting our communities and reducing risk, especially for those with the greatest needs, is at the heart of Lothian and Borders Police. Our staff will continue to support and encourage those who would benefit from using the card, to apply for and use it each and every time they need our help or assistance."

People with autism can apply for the card by calling 0131 551 7260 or email alertcard@aiscotland.org.uk.